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life changing beauty hacks

Alright, I’ll cop to it–no beauty hack I tell you will actually change your life (unless I figure out some magical way to wake up looking like a Victoria’s Secret model, in which case I may keep that to myself for a while…), but these are pretty darn good. I’ve always been beauty obsessed, but I also love ease. I want to try the new products and latest treatments as much as the next girl, but I think it’s important to have tried-and-true tricks in your back pocket that make every day beauty prep a cinch. Unless I’m going out, I don’t have much time to primp in the morning, and unless I’m winning the lottery (which hasn’t happened in a while), I don’t have much $$ to waste. Enter: a few of my favorite beauty tricks and hacks. They’ll have you looking at kitchen products in a new light, making the most of your current favorites and getting just a bit resourceful!

YOUR EYELASH CURLER Take heat to it! Sure, it works fine with your basic three steady pulses (root, middle, ends), but adding a bit of heat can really make the most of it. A quick blast of the blow dryer will increase the temp of the metal, leaving you with lashes that curl easier and stay curled longer. Caution: if you touch your eyelid skin with the hot metal, it will hurt. And then you might jump. And then you might pull out your lashes. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

BABY TOOTHBRUSH Ladies, meet your new secret weapon. Couple it with your favorite strong hold hairspray to tame those annoying wispies at your hairline. Wet it and gently slough off dry skin from your lips during the harsh winter months. Buff the dirt out from underneath your nails pre at-home mani (Obviously don’t do this and your lips with the same brush. Ew). SO. MANY. OPTIONS.

SATIN PILLOW CASE Ditch that old cotton thing and just get yourself a satin one, princess. It will prevent breakage as you sleep, and allow you to max-out your blow out an extra two or three days (just be sure to sleep with your hair in a high pony secured by a scrunchie!). I imagine this is what it feels like to be royalty (don’t let it go to your head).

CLEAR POLISH We all know clear polish can make even the most chewed up nails look presentable, but it can also stop a nylon run in its tracks, keep that fab costume jewelry from turning your finger or neck green and relieve bug bite itches. Needless to say, keep it around!

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR I’m a huge fan of kitchen-to-bathroom beauty hacks, and this is one of my favorites. Apple cider vinegar is an amazing purifier for your hair–mix one part apple cider vinegar with one part water and rinse through your strands to remove product residue and gunk, leaving it super shiny. Go one step further and use it on your skin as well…it’ll act as a natural toner (1 part vinegar to 2 parts water) and reduce the look of blemishes.

VASELINE Ah, the wonder drug…er, product. Seriously, there’s nothing this baby can’t do. Rub it on rough cuticles to soften them or on parts of your feet that get the most friction when you’re breaking in new shoes. Add it to a bit of crushed powdered blush to create a lasts-for-hours pigment, on your cheek bones for a dew-y highlighted look or on lips to dull an overly-bright lipstick. Really, it does it all.

FINE SEA SALT To me, there’s nothing more important than a good scrub–it instantly refreshes my skin and makes it glow, especially when it starts to dull in this drab winter weather. My favorite easy combo? Virgin coconut oil and fine sea salt while I’m in the shower, done and done. Plus: five simple scrubs I created for Self Magazine.

ELASTIC RIBBON TIES Every girl wants that shampoo commercial moment–you know, you flip your hair and flowers and unicorns fly out and the whole room smells amazing. Well, from my experience, that rarely happens. Especially if, like me, you use heating tools which can give your hair that awful almost-but-not-quite-burnt smell. One of my favorite ways to bring fragrance to my hair is using ribbon hair ties and a few quick spritzes of fragrance. Spraying perfume on your hair directly can be drying, so I’ve found that spraying it on the elastics is a great way to lightly scent it. I usually spray my elastic (or sometimes roll my roller ball over it), put my hair up into a high bun while doing my makeup and getting dressed and then once I take it down, it’s “infused” with a fragrance that lasts the day.

BABY POWDER Baby powder is great to mop up grease at your roots (especially if you’re a blonde, or a light brunette) but did you know it can score you thicker lashes as well? Curl your lashes like normal, then apply one single coat of mascara to them. Roll an extra dry wand (like the kind you find at the sample tables in Sephora), in a bit of baby powder and dust onto your lashes, then apply another coat of mascara–it will stick to the powder and create mega-thick lashes (just be careful if you have contacts!) that could totally pass for falsies in a pinch.

This is great! Baby powder has been my go to for forever and heating an eyelash curler makes a WORLD of a difference.

http://www.fizzandfrosting.com/ Lauren

Great tips, Alyssa! I especially am loving the idea of perfuming my hair ties. I will definitely be giving that one a try!

http://elephantintheroomblog.com/ Maria {Elephant in the Room}

Love these tips, lady! Here’s one I learned from my girl crush Alexa Chung: when you’re doing a cat eye, sketch in the pointed end first before drawing the line over your lid. This will allow you to toy around with it to get it perfect before finishing your liner, so you don’t mess up!

ohh I like that baby powder idea for my lashes!! And I don’t think I could go a day without Vaseline. It can do no wrong in my eyes. This is an awesome post, Alyssa!

http://www.glossyblonde.com/ Niki Caron

These are all such great hacks! I need to try the sea salt scrub!

http://thebarnblog.com/ Allyssa | The Barn

So many great tips! I’m excited to try the hair tie perfume idea!

http://www.cupcakesncouture.com/ Amy Breckenridge

this is really useful! the hair tie idea is such a great one that i’ll definitely be trying i also want to buy a satin pillowcase! (love how we chose the same makeup girl as inspiration this week as well!)

http://www.stylediaryblog.com/ Katie Slatton

These are great! I’m especially loving the hair tie one- I would have never thought of that!

http://www.literally-everything.com/ Alex Hubbard

This is brilliant! I never thought about the perfume/hair tie trick, but I’m totally doing it. Vaseline is my life saver. I love Vaseline.

http://turquoiseandteale.com/ Ashley T

This is such a good list! I’m a big believer in apple cider vinegar for so many things too! I haven’t tried it for my hair yet, but need to.

I LOVE these tips! Also, I really do not think I could live without Vaseline it seriously does EVERYTHING!

http://wonderfelleworld.com/ Elle

Great tips! I’m really curious about silk pillow cases – I hear they are good for preventing wrinkles too!

Mimosa Lane

Wonderful post! I love all of these tips. I have using apple cider vinegar on my hair for ever! instead of conditioner many times and how funny that I talk about it tomorrow!! Now I’m drinking it and it has helped my skin so much!

http://prettyanddelectable.wordpress.com/ Stephanie

Great tips! I love the perfume/hair tie suggestion, will have to try it out!

http://whatdresscodeblog.com/ Liz McAvoy

These are all such great tips! I’ve been meaning to try apple cider vinegar for its toner abilities, might just have to give it a shot!

OMG!!! One of the best beauty posts I have read!! Never thought to heat my eyelash curler!! What?!? And the baby tooth brush thing…genius!! Oh, and I need a satin pillow….my hair has been breaking like crazy lately!! Loved reading and learning!!